The Mess That Is Micro - VI - Bacteria that I have a hard time remembering

Question 1

Classification scheme for Gram + cocci that are catalase +

Answer 1

Coagulase (+) is S. aureus
Coagulase (-) and Novobiocin sensitive: S. epidermidis
Coagulase (-) and Novobiocin resistant: S. saprophyticus

Remember: The office “staph” have NO StRESs at their retreat.

NO- novobiocin
S - saphrophyticus
R - resistant
E - epidermidis
S - sensitive

Question 2

Classification scheme for Gram + cocci that are catalase - and alpha hemolytic

Answer 2

Optochin sensitive, encapsulated, bile soluble (lysed by bile): S. pneumoniae
Optochin resistant, bile insuluble (not lysed by bile), no capsule: S viridans

Remember: OVRPASS
Optochin resistant = viridans
Optochin sensitive = pneumoniae
For bile solubility remember: 
Big VIPS - Bile, Viridans insoluble, Pneumo soluble

Question 3

Classification scheme for Gram + cocci that are catalase - and beta hemolytic

Answer 3

Bacitracin sensitive: Group A / Strep pyogenes
Bacitracin resistant: Group B / Strep agalactiae

Remember: B-BRAS
Bacitracin
Group B
Resistant
Group A
Sensitive

How to remember that Group A is pyogenes and Group B is agalactiae:
‘Appy Bag!

Question 4

Classification scheme for Gram + cocci that are catalase - and gamma hemolytic

Answer 4

Grow in bile and 6.5% NaCl: Group D, enterococcus
Grow in bile but not 6.5% NaCl: S. bovis

Remember: Enterococci are NasD.

Enterococcus are either alpha or gamma hemolytic apparently.

Question 5

What does it mean to be alpha hemolytic vs beta vs gamma?

Answer 5

alpha hemolytic - you form a green ring around the colonies on blood agar
beta hemolytic - form a clear area of hemolysis on blood agar

Question 6

What are the beta hemolytic bacteria?

Answer 6

DinoSAURS who take PIE as BAIT LIST and SAG.

Staph aureus
Strep pyogenes
Listeria monocytogenes
Strep agalactiae

Question 7

Gram positive bacilli

Answer 7

My Back Lies on Clusters of Corn

Mycobacterium
Bacillus
Listeria
Clostridium
Corynebacterium

Question 8

Gram + and branching filaments

Answer 8

Anaerobe, not acid fast - Actinomyces

Aerobe, acid fast - Nocardia

Question 9

Listeria

Answer 9

Gram positive rod, facultative intracellular microbe, beta hemolytic

Acquired by ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products and deli meats, transplacental transmission, or vaginal transmission during birth.

Can multiply at temps as low as 4 degrees.

Form rocket tails via actin polymerization that allow them to move through cytoplasm and into cell membrane, thereby avoiding antibody.

Listeria invades epithelial cells lining small intestine like salmonella. It escapes phagosomes into the cytosol. It lyses vascular membrane through listeriolysin O, a pore-forming toxin that is selectively activated within acidified phagosomes.

Characteristic TUMBLING MOTILITY.

Only gram positive to produce LPS.

Cause: 
Amnionitis
Septicemia
Spontaneous abortion in pregnant women
Granulomatosis infantiseptica
Neonatal meningitis 
Meningitis in immunocompromised patients
Mild gastroenteritis in healthy individuals. 

Treatment: Gastroenteritis is usually limited.
Give ampicillin in infants or the elderly for empirical treatment of meningitis.

Question 10

Actinomyces

Answer 10

Gram positive anaerobe
Not acid fast
Normal oral flora
Causes oral / facial abscesses that drain through sinus tracts. Forms yellow sulfur granules.

Treatment: Penicillin

Question 11

Nocardia

Answer 11

Gram positive aerobe
Acid fast (weak)
Found in soil
Causes pulmonary infections in immunocompromised and cutaneous infections after trauma in immunocompetent
Treatment: sulfonamides

Question 12

Woolsorter’s disease

Answer 12

Inhalation of anthrax spores from contaminated wool leading to pulmonary anthrax.

Inhalation of spores leads to flu-like symptoms that rapidly progresses to fever, pulmonary hemorrhage, mediastinitis, and shock.

Question 13

Spirochetes

Answer 13

BLT
Borrelia - stain using analine dyes (Wright or Giemsa)
Leptospira -
Treponema - visualize with dark field microscopy

Question 14

Classification scheme for Neisseria

Answer 14

Neisseria is a gram negative diplococcus.
Neisseria meningitidis - maltose fermenting, glucose fermenting
Neisseria gonorrhea - maltose nonfermenter, glucose fermenting

Remember: Men are Male

Question 15

Gram negative coccoid rods classification scheme

Answer 15

Coccoid rods mnemonic: Bored Bruce got Flu in the Pasture
H flu
Pasteurella
Brucella
Bordetella pertussis

Question 16

Gram negative oxidase positive comma shaped

Answer 16

Grows in 42 degrees - campylobacter
Grows in alkaline media - cholera
Produces urease - h pylori

Remember: at grammar (comma shaped) camp (campylobacter) I was air lifted by helicopter (h pylori) because I had cholera

Question 17

Gram negative rods lactose fermenting

Answer 17

Mnemonic: When Escher Entered the Club | the Servants were Sitting
Fast fermenters:
E coli
Klebsiella
Enterobacter
Slow fermenters:
Serratia
Citrobacter

Question 18

Gram negative rods Lactose nonfermenters

Answer 18

Mnemonic:
Protect Your Sh** from Salmon (or Sue)
Oxidase negative:
Proteus
Yersinia
Shigella
Salmonella

Oxidase positive:
Pseudomonas

Question 19

Legionella

Answer 19

Gram negative rod. Facultative.

Detected by presence of antigen in urine.

Aerosol transmission, not person to person, think of cruise ships and contaminated water.

HYPONATREMIA.

Legionnaire’s disease: severe pneumonia, fever, GI, CNS sx, neuro sx. Most common finding is unilobar infiltrate that progresses to consolidation.

Pontiac fever: mild flu like syndrome.

Question 20

Ecthyma gangrenosum

Answer 20

Rapidly progressive necrotic cutaneous lesions caused by pseudomonas, typically seen in immunocompromised patients.